The Wrong Prescription

I’ve never had to wear glasses, but on many different occasions I’ve picked up someone else’s glasses and put them on. When I was a kid, I remember picking up my grandparents bi-focals and trying to make sense of the two different perspectives in front of me.

For most of my life, whenever I have needed sunglasses, I have purchased the cheapest pair that I could find. They work okay blocking the sun, but when I try to run, or throw a ball, or do anything that requires hand-eye coordination, I notice that something is “off”. I cannot really describe it, but I can tell, even if I look down while walking, that I’m not seeing things completely clearly.

When you are using cheap sunglasses or someone else’s prescription, it is difficult to see things as they really are.

In my quest for thriving in this life I’m leading, I reached out to some people that I trust and asked them to respond to a question: What Am I Good At?

I wanted to get some honest feedback (not ego inflating self esteem boosting feedback, but truth) on how they saw me. The feedback I received made me realize that I don’t see myself the way that others see me. And I think that the truth is, that the way others see us, many times, is much closer to reality than the way we see ourselves.

Many people say “I’m my own worst critic” and they wear that like a badge of honor. And it’s a great trait, to push yourself, and never be satisfied, and to constantly want to improve. However, when our perspective gets skewed to the point that we don’t see who we really are, and we miss out on what’s good about ourselves, then we aren’t pushing ourselves to greatness, we are missing out on what is already great.

So I sent my question to my friends, and I heard these things:

“One big thing about you is that you have that ‘it’ factor”

“People want to be around you”

“Would I pay you to teach me something…yes…”

“You are a great teacher, you just need material and convincing expertise”

Whaaaat!!!???

It’s important for me to express that I am not sharing this as an expression of ego or to make anyone feel as if I’m someone great. The point is, that I don’t see these things about myself.

People want to be around me? I describe myself as an introvert

“It” factor? I’ve heard about the “it” factor, I notice “it” in others, but certainly never felt like I had “it”

A great teacher? In my mind, I’m good but not great

I don’t see myself the way others do. There are two ways to look at this, and both ways force us to fight for the truth. Sometimes, other people look at us like we aren’t good enough, like we don’t belong, like we can’t excel, like we can’t achieve, and we need to speak truth and life into ourselves in those moments.

There is much more greatness inside than we are willing to admit. Let it out. Ask some people who you trust what they see when they look at you, and then listen…and then live like someone who knows they were created to be amazing.